What is the Hadith of Jibril (Gabriel)?

It is the hadith in which the angel Jibril peace be upon him, known also as Gabriel, in the form of a man, questioned the Prophet ﷺ about Iman, Islam, and ihsan, then departed, and the Prophet ﷺ said he had come to teach the people their religion.

It is narrated that the Prophet ﷺ appeared before the public one day when a man came to him and said, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, what is ‘Iman’ (faith)?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Iman (Faith) is to believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, meeting with Him, His messengers and to believe in the resurrection in the Hereafter.”

He said, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, what is Islam?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Islam is to worship Allah alone without associating anything with Him, to establish the prescribed prayer, to give obligatory charity and to fast the month of Ramadan.”

He said, “What is ‘Ihsan’ (excellence)?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Ihsan (Excellence) is to worship Allah as if you see Him. Verily, He sees you although you do not see Him.”

The hadith continues, then the man left and the Prophet ﷺ asked his Companions to call him back, but they could not see him. The Prophet ﷺ said, “That was Gibrael peace be upon him who came to teach the people their religion.” [Sahih al-Bukhari 50]

Imam Nawawi rahimahullah described it as one of the Hadiths upon which the Islamic religion is based. Its closing words, teaching the people their religion, show that religion is built of three fundamentals: belief (Aqida), sacred law (Shariah), and the inner excellence that is Tasawwuf.